The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-06-11
WANTS TO WRITE.

i, ter from young man in North Caro- lima:
 1 send you communication. under the "Nom tie plume" of Lewis BoNWooi if you think II worthy of place in your paper, pub fish it and send me A Small compensation, whateN CT you think right for tt. lwoald like 10 make, something. writing for papers, can you give me any encouragement in this dlrce. ti0uy In order that you may know ittlo better What manner of man l am | Will State that was born and raised In \. C My Father WAS a lawyer of Con siderable Abihty, and for some time, Editor of the North Caro lima ---, paper Il think still published, but very much degenerRted from it's Former Self. My education Is somea hal limited, lat have taught g,,od many Free schools and trAV cicd considerably
 I am of the opinion. that Writer for papers, should be one ConNersant With the Every day world should be one. Who knows some. thing about the Inside homes of the Puor as well as, the Rich. and one VI h" Is sood Judge of Human Nature. Many, otherwise, Eool scholars, arc al default m these particulars, and con -equently much of what they write, ts uninicrcsting and unnatural l would like to W rite for yonr Paper, series of pIeccs, under thc Nom tie plume" of Lewis Box wood. and natter misclf that could make The next piece I would propose to send would contain the Letter of Patsy BoNWood to her cousin Nancy Musnoat, My writing is by no means elegant but easy to be deciph cred lwill write taking the piece, have written as sample so many pieces, tot so niose %" %ou .hnI s & "S9 %orA ", please let me know. Very respectfully, i We publish this letter. not to hut initiate the writer, but as n fair sample of many communications from liter arv aspirants who have not the am bition to educate themselves, and who. though they acknow ledge their lack of training. fancy that they can write entertainingly. This young fcl- low may have taught, as he declares, numerous free schools; it k evident that he was not one of the pupils. It Is beyond his ability to construct n correct sentence, Vet the fact that as his father was a lawyer and at one time the editor of n paper (which, of course. has degenerated since he left it k all that Is necessary for the son. Had the father been a shoemaker. the son, bc- fore attempting to write for publica- ton, would doubtless have thought if necessary to learn something of English grammar. He wants to write for money. Mercinul heavens, Wants to make money in literature. lmnor- tal CIsr. Why, young man, if mag azines and newspapers were pay ing five hundred dollars par column for tenth rate matter you could not, by the employment of your present in- tcllectual assets, earn enough money in year to buy reserve seat ticket in dime Inusentn. If your lie de- pended upon the writing of an article worthy of the columns of the Forked Greek Snog you could not produce piece of work that would justify the governor in committing your sentence to imprisonment foG life.
 Oh. yes. writer should be eOnvcr- ant with the every day world" He distinguish A lame steer from kit of carpenters tools, but this know issigc should not rob him of the ability to sec the difference between hyphen and tine second future tense
 ! Yes, by all means write under the nom de plume of Lewis Boxwood." Remember the old motto: "Be sure your nom de plume Is right, then go ahead" Many genius has been sadly crippled for the want of strong and elastic nom de plume. Ii really makes no difference what man writes if iis pen name ir hie-bodied.
 seriously, young man, it would Ike better for you, if you intend to write, to read instructive books and news papers. You would not think of ap- plying for admittance to the lnr with out having studied law, would you: Without she genius of application there is but little hope of success. Ii is not likely that you will ever become writer of acceptable bumor, for, possessing the faculties necessary to success in this line, you could zee se the ridiculousncss of your own letter.